Bottom Line Up Front:
Show up tonight at Bowlero Durham around 6:00 pm so we can get lane assignments and registration out of the way.
If you haven't paid, please bring me your money
You can post-bowl (this week only) if you aren't going to be there tonight, let me know
This email has most of the info about the season that you'll want to keep handy
Welcome to Spring 2023 bowling! To my delight, we have a great group of folks returning from our previous seasons, so it should be big fun! If you have friends who still want to bowl, there's still time to sign up but please make sure they sign up today before showing up! They can sign up here: https://www.pindependentbowling.com/sign-up We will have 11 teams this season, which means that again we have a “vacant” team. One day we'll get an even number of teams, I promise! What to expect this season:
We will bowl on Sunday nights at 6:15 pm. That means that practice will start at 6:15 and competitive bowling will start at 6:30pm sharp. If you don't want 15 minutes of practice time, show up at 6:30. But we're trying to be done by 9ish every week, so please be on time so we can start on time.
Other than for week 1, there will be no post-bowling: if you miss a week, you may pre-bowl in advance. This is for any week other than playoff and championship weeks (if your team is in the playoffs or championship). Details on practice games and pre-bowling are below.
We will NOT bowl on Sunday, May 28th, which is Memorial Day weekend.
Our last night of the season will be Sunday, June 25th. Obligatory pizza and prizes will be involved that night.
Still not sure which prizes/playoff structure we're going to use since we're down to 11 teams, but I want everyone to feel like their entire season is worthwhile.
What to expect on Week 1:
Please show up a bit early (6pm). This way, we can fill out paperwork, make sure everyone is on the right lanes, and clarify how teams are assigned.
I have a few spots available on various teams, so if you have friends who still want to bowl, bring them along! (Email me about it first, if possible, so I can place them on a team in advance.)
If you're new to our league, look for me on arrival at the lanes, I'll help you get set up on your lane/with your team. We usually play on lanes 23ish to 32, so we'll be on that end of the bowling alley.
Week 1 will not count for points toward the season, it's the week we establish our averages for handicapping purposes going forward. So don't worry if you're rusty, we're all a little rusty.
How scoring works:
Your team will play 3 competitive games each week against another league team (or a “blank team” if needed. Each win counts as a point, giving a possible 3 points each week. At the end of the regular season, the top teams based on points will move into a single elimination play off.
In the event of a tie, total pins (raw + handicap) will be used. In the case of a pin # tie, then raw pins will be used
Cool apps you can use this season (not a paid promotion, sadly):
Lane Talk: this is an app that will link itself up with the software at Bowlero/AMF to track your games. It also can give you information about your games (your most common first roll knockdowns/leaves, averages, etc.). The reason this app is so handy is that if some night you forget to give me your score sheet or something terrible happens and scores get lost, the app will track your scores over time. It's also free. Free is cool. You can download the app here: https://lanetalk.com/bowlers/
League Pals: this is an app from Bowlero where you can track your league information. Weekly scores, leaderboards and lane assignments are tracked in the app (imagine the weekly score sheets at your lane available on an app). You can download this app here: https://www.leaguepals.com/
Important note: this app will tell you that you can register and pay for your league through the app. This is NOT true. Our league operates differently, so please note that you must register and pay through the Pindependent website for our league.
Neither of these apps is required for league participation, so if you don't want another app on your phone, I feel that and you do you, boo.
Key things to remember:
Show up on time. We start competitive play at 6:30 pm. If you're late, but still arrive during game 1, we can “play you in” but please don't make a habit of it.
Every league bowler will have 2 free practice games per week. These games can be played Monday through Saturday until 7pm or any time on Sundays. Check in at the desk and let them know that you are here for practice games, not pre-bowling. You should NOT be given a score card for practice games.
If you are going to miss a week, you can pre-bowl prior to Sunday night's start. If you prebowl, please let me know!! Again, you can pre-bowl until 7pm M-Sa or any time on Sundays. Make sure you let the staff at AMF know that you are PREBOWLING (not practicing) so that they have you sign in and give you a score card. Take a picture of the completed score card and send it to me. Make sure the score card has your name, your league/team name and the date you are pre-bowling for.
If you are planning to post bowl for week 1 and haven't told me, please reply to this email right now and let me know. Also date your score card for the week you are bowling for (not the date you bowl).
Bowling etiquette (yes you should read this part too):
Be ready to bowl when it's your turn. No, seriously, don't be delaying play because you're messing around somewhere else. Being in line at the bar is one thing, but consistently having to be told it's your turn is annoying. Be considerate and ready when it's your turn.
Be aware of other bowlers: if 2 bowlers make the approach side by side, the bowler on the right has the right of way. LOOK AROUND. Make sure that when it's your turn, you're not bowling at the same time as the bowlers in the lanes next to you.
Once your turn is done, finish up and get out of the way. Again, we're trying to keep things moving, so once your roll is complete, do your happy dance and let the next bowler approach.
Wear bowling shoes. This should go without saying, but street shoes can damage the approach and lead to falls. Shoes are NOT included in the price of your season, so make sure to rent your shoes when you arrive if you need to.
Keep an eye on food and drink: don't spill near the approach, wet shoes cause falls (trust me on this one). If you're a sloppy eater, then eat at the table behind the benches on the lanes.
Don't be a jerk. No, seriously. We're all here to have fun. Don't be a jerk.
Questions? Comments? Send them my way! keely@pindependentbowling.com So that's about it, if you need more information, let me know. Otherwise, I'll see you on the lanes!
-k-